Archives for October 8, 2009

At the Third Committee debate on Agenda Item 105: International Drug Control

Mr. Chairman,

Honored Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As this is the first time I take the floor, allow me to congratulate you, Mr. Chairman, on your election as Chair of the Third Committee. Â Let me assure you of my delegation’s full support and cooperation throughout the work of this Committee. Â In addition, I want to thank Mr. Antonio Maria Costa for his excellent briefing, for UNODC’s 2009 World Drug Report, and for the ongoing support that UNODC has offered to our efforts, in Afghanistan and elsewhere.

Mr. Chairman,

Despite the current challenges in Afghanistan, I am pleased to inform you that our counter-narcotics efforts have seen remarkable progress across-the-boardÂ thisÂ pastÂ year. Today, I will highlight four areas that have seen particular success, and outline some suggestions for improvement on those achievements to address our remaining challenges.

First, directly as a result of our efforts, poppy cultivation in Afghanistan is down 22%, and opium production down 10% – a marked decrease from last year. Â The number of poppy-free provinces has increased from 18 to 20. Â Our most remarkable decrease has been in the Helmand province, which has seen a 33% drop in poppy cultivation compared to 2008. Â To solidify this progress, the Afghan Ministry of Counter-Narcotics plans to destroy an additional 40 thousand hectares of poppy this year.Â With the help of our international partners, our focus in the coming months and years should be on promoting viable alternative livelihoods for Afghan farmers. This could be in the form of replacement crops, like saffron in Herat, or through other development projects, particularly in light industry or the exploitation of natural resources. In any case, without viable alternative livelihoods, our progress towards a poppy-free country will never be sustainable.

Second, the Afghan government has strengthened its counter-narcotics infrastructure and improved governmental coordination under the umbrella of the National Drug Control Strategy. Â Recent actions by the Afghan government have achieved real progress.Â For example, the Afghan Ministry of Counter-Narcotics recently held a national conference in Kabul for governors and others to discuss best practices, and is currently running an awareness-raising campaign in 26 provinces that involves religious leaders and the media, and has indirectly reached over 15 million Afghans. Â Also, the Afghan Parliament recently passed a strengthened anti-drug law enforcement bill. Â Further, the Ministry of Justice has created a special court to tryÂ counter-narcotics cases, and the Ministry of the Interior has a dedicated police force for counter-narcotics efforts. Â However, national and global illicit economies fueled by the drug trade undermine many of our efforts towards good governance and strong state institutions.Â We need to focus our collective efforts on capacity building, strengthening institutions, and improving rule of law. With the support of the international community, the Afghan government is fully committed to making further progress in this area.

Third, Afghanistan has made huge strides towardÂ improved cooperation with neighboring countries. Â This year,Â utilizing the framework of the Triangular Initiative,Â theÂ counter-narcotics agencies of Afghanistan andÂ the Islamic Republics of Iran and PakistanÂ successfullyÂ conductedÂ joint operationsÂ against drug trafficking networksÂ along our borders, which resulted in many arrests and the seizure of aÂ considerableÂ quantity ofÂ narcotics. Within the framework of UNODC’s Operation TARCET II, launched in May of this year, Afghanistan has worked closely with other governments in the region through, inter alia, a joint training session for border control agents and counter-narcotics police. To build on these developments, the Government of Afghanistan, the international community and the region should continue to strengthen cooperation in line with the Paris Pact, the “Rainbow Strategy,” Security Council Resolution 1817 and others, with particular focus on preventing the illegal transport of precursor chemicals into Afghanistan.

Fourth, Afghanistan hasÂ improved coordination and cooperation with the international community. Â Last year NATO agreed to increase assistance to the Afghan government’s counter-narcotics efforts, and in the first half of this year aÂ joint Afghan-NATO military operation successfully destroyed overÂ 90 tons of chemical precursors, 459 tons of poppy seeds,Â 51Â tonsÂ of opium,Â 7Â tonsÂ of morphine, 1.5Â tonsÂ of heroin, 19Â tonsÂ of cannabis resin, andÂ 44Â illicit laboratories.Â Afghanistan also has increased our bilateral efforts with countries in the region and internationally on this issue, particularly to address trafficking. This year, we signed a new anti-drug agreement with Russia focused on stopping trafficking and halting the transport of precursors, and we fully supported the recent American decision to shift the counter-narcotics focus in Afghanistan away from crop eradication and towards alternative livelihoods and economic development. In addition, we participated actively in the recent meeting of the SCO on Afghanistan, which focused on the issues of terrorism and drug trafficking, and hope that this and similar initiatives will help bring a wider regional and international perspective to our discussion. Internationally, we continue to work closely with UNODC and the INCB to address all issues relating to drugs, and we remain very grateful for their comprehensive assistance. In addition to our efforts in Afghanistan, we should also continue to pursue comprehensive, global strategiesÂ that address all aspects of the drug problem, from cultivation to consumption. A successful fight against drugs requires increased efforts to reduce not just production, but also demand.

However, Mr. Chairman,

Profits from the illegal narcotics trade fuel the activities of terrorists and criminals around the world, including those in our region. A substantial challenge remains the strong correlation between insecurity and drug production. In Afghanistan, 98% of poppy cultivation occurs in the provinces with the highest levels of insecurity. Â Therefore, in addition to the suggestions outlined above, one of our fundamental priorities should remainÂ the overall improvement of the security situation, particularly through training the Afghan National Army and Police.

Mr.Â Chairman,

Drugs and the drug trade are directly responsible for the preventable deaths of millions of people every year, and are indirectly linked to millions more. In addition, tens of millions worldwide, including an increasing number in Afghanistan, face serious health consequences from regular drug use. In developing countries particularly, this is a problem that targets the poorest and most hopeless. It is our joint duty here to do everything possible to curtail the production and consumption of these harmful substances. The Government of Afghanistan is strongly committed toÂ this goal, and we look forward to working with our international partners to address this ongoing threat as quickly as possible.

Ambassador Zahir Tanin today condemned the terrorist attack that occurred this morning outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan before he delivered a statement to the Third Committee. A suicide car bomb explosion was responsible for killing 15 civilians and two Afghan police officers, and injuring over eighty.

After condemning the attack, Ambassador Dr. Tanin said, “This was an obvious attack on civilians. The perpetrators of this attack and those who planned it are vicious terrorist who target innocent people, not just Afghan civilians but also our friends and allies.” The Taliban have claimed responsibility for this act, but did not say why they targeted the Indian Embassy. Ambassador Dr. Tanin said, “I want to extend my and my governments heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims.”